Need a stairgate to stop me falling down stairs at night.

What a good idea.
You could have it fixed to one wall rather than the sort I have had for to GC which is held on both sides by those rubber washer things. Fixed to one wall,it wouldn’t need a bar across the bottom

Like this .

I’m sure others are available.

Wouldn't you need to have something much taller? I'm sure I could fall over an ordinary height stairgate if I stumbled onto it at night. And they aren't very sturdy... I might look to have something made specially - or fit a garden gate at a sensible height?

This isn't a UK company but I'm sure there must be similar here:
www.gatekeepersafe.com

Rosie's gate looks sturdy - but a bit short.
I'd definitely want one fixed well at the sides!

Which? Magazine have recently reviewed 30 stair gates, and cover every aspect of safety, fitting etc.

Have you thought about having handrails fitted on the landing or having a lightweight walker upstairs too?

A relative of mine had a catastrophic fall 12 weeks ago on the landing, hit her head on a radiator , resulting in a fractured scull and 3 bleeds on the brain. Minimally conscious for the first 8 weeks, now emerged, but is peg fed, suprapubic catheter fitted. Now learning to swallow, use her limbs again, awaiting a place at a neuro rehab unit. Cognitive state far from her baseline, and no way of knowing how much she will recover.

I’ve just read the Which? report, the stair gates are tested with a 25kg weight to simulate a toddler or large dog hitting it.
Some dislodged with even much less weight.

Even the best ones wouldn’t withstand an adult falling against them.

I would have one specially made. We did this when we had a large dog who used to launch himself at gates, (don't ask!). The gate was hinged with the opening coming onto the landing side so you had to pull it towards yourself to go downstairs. The lock bit was a thumb turn lock on both sides. There was obviously no need for a base either.
Ours didn't have bars or slats, it was plain wood, which I preferred because it gave the feel of proper division between the two areas.

You will need a purpose built gate, strong wood, cerefully positioned and fixed. Ask for someone experienced with wood in your local facebook. That is a very good idea OP and prevention is always better than cure

An acquaintance fell downstairs, broke their pelvis and consequently suffered a heart attack, gone from managing to immobile

You might be better off with a dog gate rather than a baby gate. Dog gates are much taller. Alternatively, find a good local carpenter/joiner who could make exactly want you want. You are sensible to make precautions.

How about contacting your local Occupational Therapy department and asking their advice? They may also come up with other suggestions to help you and prevent you falling in the first place.

I would have concerns about anything as flimsy as that in the picture above, it certainly might not stop anyone toppling over the top if it!
Perhaps, OP, the safe option would be to move to an apartment or bungalow?

This is a worry. As others have said will a baby stair gate be enough?
You could get a larger garden style gate instead as has been suggested.
My advice in the long term would be to think of possibly moving to a bungalow or ground floor flat all on one level if these falls are to be a regular possibility.
All the best.

The advice given by teabagwoman would be my advice too.
Contact your local Occupational health department. They will help you.

I bought a tall dog gate from Amazon. It’s high enough to keep you from falling but I’m not sure it would withstand a person falling heavily into it.
My lab weighs five stone, he rarely jumps up on it now (😇) but it withstands him leaping paws up when my son in law arrives and the dog gets giddy.
I expect yiu could find a handy man to fix it permanently rather than rely on the usual fixtures.

Alternatively a sofa bed downstairs, providing you have a downstairs toilet. Best of luck

I have a stair lift and it turns round to let you off at the top and stays there to stop you accidentally falling downstairs.

Why not just get a carpenter to come and fit a proper door. I was brought up in a cottage with a door that opened onto the landing🙂

Kept the heat in downstairs during the day too.

I sense a gap in the market for some enterprising person here! My bedroom door also opens out straight onto the stairs and it could become a hazard for me too, as I realised last night when I almost tripped on my way to the loo.

As well as thinking about the suggestions on here, wouldn’t it also be a good idea to seek medical help to find out why you keep falling over?
If all is well health wise, it might be suggested that you go to balance exercises run by physiotherapists.

In the meantime I think the idea of a proper door at the top of the stairs would be your safest option.

I hope you find a solution soon.

I get up in the night and stagger to the loo in the dark , but I’m in a bungalow , however one night I must have been more dopey than usual, and had no idea where I was
Since then I have put the lights on when I get out of bed
My mother-in-law used to wander in the night. We got a stair gate , she climbed over it ! We then got a joiner to make a wooden garden gate , actually really sturdy and tall ,
I would be worried about you hurting yourself on the landing never mind falling down the stair , maybe get the doctor to investigate why you are falling .

RosieandherMaw

Like this .

I’m sure others are available.

DH made one similar to that when our DC were small as stairgates weren't so readily available.

I'd ask for recommendations for a local carpenter who could fit a bespoke one, sturdy and high enough to stop you falling downstairs if you stumbled against it half asleep.

The metal ready made ones have the fitting along the bottom, easy to trip over, and I'm not sure it wouldn't give way if you fell against it heavily.

If all is well health wise, it might be suggested that you go to balance exercises run by physiotherapists.
Good idea.

However, I don't lose my balance but could fall over a pin!

Lovetopaint is this because of lack of light or giddiness? Do seek medical help it could be low blood pressure. More than once is concerning.

How about keeping a walking aid in the bedroom so you could use it to negotiate your way safely to the bathroom? Even if you don't need it during the daytime it could be useful at night.

Just don't fall over it!

You need an urgent referral to your local falls clinic. Ask at your GP. I know somebody who was referred a couple of years ago. They dealt not only with the medical side of reasons for falls, but arranged physio to improve balance and muscle strength and arranged for occupational health to do a home visit to identify risks. I believe there is some financial help available for adaptations, if money is tight.

PS. I've read your posts about painkillers - you need some help to find out why you're falling in the first place.